Archibald's Revenge
by TweetyPie82
Summary: Nick Knight's daughter, Nichole, is brought across by his long lost vampric brother. How will he respond to his brother when her finds out what he did to her before turning her? FINI Please R
1. Chapter 1

Archibald's Revenge

Some lawyer stuff to discuss: First of all, I give my permission to post on Mel's Forever Knight Fan Fiction Page, FTP site, and Anita at fkfanfic2. Second, I do not own most of the characters. Jim Parriott owns Nick, Natalie, Donald Schanke (who is mentioned but does not make an appearance), LaCroix and Janette. These characters I am borrowing for my enjoyment, and hopefully yours too. I, myself, do own Nichole Ann de Brabant Knight and Archibald, thou. So please ask before using them. Any resemblance to anyone mortal, dead, dhampir, or vampire is purely coincidental. If this story sounds like another story, it most likely is. I got the idea from Valerie Meachum's 'Further to Fall' after I read the story. :-&

Everything that is in apostrophes '…' are the characters' thoughts. :-

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Archibald's Revenge

Part 1/4

Nick Knight pulled into the loft's driveway after a surprisingly light night at work and was looking forwarded to speeding sometime with someone special. For once he finished the paperwork on the previous case instead of shoving it off to Donald Schanke to complete. He was humming a lullaby from his childhood as he pulled the caddie into the garage, and called for the lift and waited. When it arrived, he entered and went up to the third floor. He was so preoccupied in thought, he didn't smell the blood scent coming from the loft before it was to late.

When the door opened, Nick could not ignore it any longer. The kiwi and pine scent he knew so well was overwhelming as he walked into the loft. He immediately stopped in his tracks, and started to look for the object of his concern. When he could not find the person, he used his vampiric hearing to locate their heartbeat and found nothing to listen to. He tried once more and failed again. Looking around the room, he spotted whom he was looking for sprawled out in front of the couch in a small pool of blood.

Nick immediately crossed the room to the body and felt its pulse. He found none. "Nichole, I swear I will find who ever did this and make them wish they had never met their master after I get through with them!" He slammed his fist into the concrete floor and heard a couple of his bones break in his hand from the impact. He then began to cradle the sixteen-year-old in his lap and started to shed blood tears all over her face.

Once Nick had calmed down to do what he had to do, he was able to get up and walk over to the phone to call the cops. As he takes one last second to make sure he could do this, he hears the girl whimper behind him. He turned around to look at her just in time to see her curl up into a fetal position and rock side to side, he immediately picks up the phone and dialed the Raven. He talked briefly on the phone to the bartender and ordered 3 crates of uncut, non-alcoholic human blood and 4 crates of the 'house special' for himself. After that was done, he then called Natalie at the morgue to warn her of Nichole's changed condition.

"Natalie's Bed and Breakfast." Dr. Lambert answered cheerfully.

"Nat, it's me, Nick. I'm going to have to cancel tonight's video party. I'm sorry, but something came up and needs my attention immediately."

"Sure, no problem Nick. How about we reschedule for next week?"

"No can do, Nat." Nick replied back.

"How about the week after next?" Nat answered back, trying not to be dissuaded from her goal.

"Not good either." Nick shot back into the phone. He was trying desperately to come up with a good date to reschedule.

"Well, Nick, if that is 'not' a good enough time, then do tell me when is it a good time." Nat replied agitated.

"How about two months from now?" Nick replied seriously to her.

"Two months! Are you crazy...wait don't answer that. What could possibly require your attention for two months!" Nat exclaimed rather loudly into Nick's ear.

"Remember your brother Richard, Nat?"

"Yeah."

"Well, replace Richard with Nichole."

"You mean, Nichole was fatally wounded and you brought her across. Hoping to save her from a guilty, killing consciousness, you fed her bovine. It back fired and drove her insane, you had to kill her before she went on a killing spree?" Nat summed up what happened to her brother, but replaced him with Nichole.

"No, Nat, not quite. Although I did come home and found her sprawled in front of the couch, dead. I was just about to call the precinct, when she whimpered and curled up into a protective, fetal position. Someone else brought her across, Nat." Nick explained to her, but excluded the part about not using cow but regular human blood to feed her. He also purposely 'did not' mention himself going back to human also.

From behind him, Nick heard a quiet, terrified scream from the girl. Turning around with the phone still to his ear, he watched as she thrashes out trying to fight off an unknown attacker. "Daddy!" Nichole quietly screams again.

"Uhh, Nat." Nick said into the phone.

"Yeah, Nick?"

"I've gotta go. Nichole needs me to guide her back. She's terrified and calling for me." Nick explained back. He waited until he heard Nat's understanding before hanging up the phone. He walked over to her and picked her up to place her on the couch. Gently, he grabbed her shoulders and shook her awake. "Nichole, Princess, come on wake up. That's it follow my voice. It's all right, Daddy's here." He gently coaxed her awake.

"Daddy? It that really you? I don't feel so good. I'm hungry and so thirsty, it ain't funny." Nichole whispered to Nick, who was cradling his daughter against his side and rocking back and forth.

"Yes, Princess. It's me it's okay. I know you're thirsty and hungry, we can remedy that very quick." Nick replied to her. He reached over the couch and picked up a bottle from the crate that he placed there earlier. He opened it and pressed it into her hands. "Here, drink this. It should help."

Nichole took the offered bottle and emptied it in three seconds flat. Nick had another bottled uncorked and ready for her by the time she was finished with the first. She finished that one a little slower than the previous one, but was still in the throws of the hunger. The third bottle he handed her was half way gone before she stopped to think. "Daddy, what happened? Why am I drinking human blood instead of eating my hamburger?" She asked of her vampiric father.

Nick looked at his daughter for a while. 'She has no idea that she was brought across. Damn him! His ass is mine!' Knowing he could not keep anything from her, he decided to tell Nichole what he knew. "I came home early hoping to spend some time with you, and I did not hear your heartbeat. I looked all over the loft for you, and found you lying in a small pool of blood in front of us here. I checked your pulse and found none. Next, I started to pick up the phone to dial the precinct to report your murder but you whimpered instead. I watched you curl yourself into a fetal position, and rocked on your side. I called in an order to the Raven for supplies for the both of us, and then called Nat to tell her what had happened. So here we are. You were attacked and brought across when I was at work." He waited for her to digest this information before asking,

"Princess, what do you remember of last night after I left for work?"

"After you told me to lock up after you left and then went to work, I started to get ready for bed. I came downstairs to lock up and grab a glass of water, and there was a strange man waiting for me. Funny thing is that I don't remember what he looked like. He mentioned that I looked a lot like you, and said that it was a shame he was going to bleed me dry. Then he tried to play mind games with me, making me doubt my faith in you. He had me backed into the wall before he attacked me, aiming for the side of my neck. Next thing I know, you're calling to me to tell me to wake up and follow the sound of your voice. You know better than me what happened next." Nichole answered her father's question. As she was explaining what she remembered of the night's activities, she watched his face for the anger that she knew was there. What she did observe was the twitching muscle in his jaw, the only thing she knew she was going to get. "Daddy? He will be back for me, won't he? He'll try to take me away, right?" She asked to break the silence in her vampiric father.

Nick did not want to think about that just yet, but he did answer his daughter's question. "Yes, Princess. He will 'TRY' to take you from me. The operative word being 'try'. You are not leaving my sight until then. Now come on, it's almost sunrise. You're sleeping with me, I purposely left your windows uncovered so you can get some natural light when you studied. Now, it is too dangerous for you in the daytime and my room is more secure for you right now. The second that sun peaks above the horizon, you're going to be fast asleep. Understand?" He explained to Nichole. Also if her attacker should show up after sunset but before she awakens, he wanted to be able to defend her while she sleeps.

All ready yawning, Nichole nodded her head into Nick's chest. "I think you're right, Daddy." She replied sleepily. Sunlight began to stream into the room, and he watched it for a while. As it crept closer to them, he thought for a split second that they could commit suicide together but thought better of it. He reached for the remote and closed the shutters, blocking out the deadly rays. When the room became pitch black, he got up with his daughter and walked to his room.

Once there, Nick laid his precious cargo down on one side of the bed and crawled in next to her. "I know I'm right, Princess. I've been doing this for almost 800 years. Tonight we're going to see if we can shed some light on this mysterious bastard who tore my world apart." He whispered to his sleeping daughter. Nichole's response was to scoot back against her father, who in turned threw a protective arm over her and hugged her to him.


	2. Chapter 2

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Archibald's Revenge

Part 2/4

Nick had awoken first, before the sun had actually set. He sat up and wiped the bloodsweat from his brow. Next, he turned and looked down on Nichole to make sure last night either did or did not happen, to his great disappointment it did happen. He got up and grabbed a set of clothes to wear after he took a shower; he did not want worry his daughter with his horrified dreams and memories that resurface in his sleep. Before he headed to the adjoining bathroom, he locked the door to his room to make sure he could hear anyone coming in or going out.

By the time Nick was done with his shower, the sun had set. He came out of the bathroom to find Nichole sitting up screaming and shaking. "Mon enfant fille, what is wrong?" He asked his daughter, holding her in the same manner he did this morning just before going to bed. She didn't say anything back to him at first, but instead she just cried bloodtears all over her father's shirt. "It's okay, Princess. I'm here and nothing can hurt you. Please tell me what is wrong. Why are you crying?"

Still sobbing, Nichole explains to her father about her nightmare. "It was last night again, and I just came downstairs to grab a glass of water and lock up. He was waiting for me, and I still can't remember what he looked like. He still played mind games with me and promised to 'bleed me dry'. He had me against the wall before he attacked, but this time I remembered more about the attack itself. I remember him coming towards me, fangs bared and his eyes yellow. Kind of like yours when you're either hungry or upset. He then quickly undress my lower half, and then himself. Daddy, I remembered that he raped me and then sometime during that he brought me across." She cried harder into Nick shirt. At this rate, his shirt will be covered in blood.

Nick's famous temper, which was all ready blown sky high, now just blew a gasket at this new piece of information that his daughter had just revealed. All he could do was to sit like a statue and let Nichole cry all over him. He was afraid to move, because if he did someone would have to get hurt. Right now, he was scared that someone would be his daughter and she did not deserve it. She was the victim after all. "Princess, after I drastically calm down, we're going to see Nat at work to have you checked over. Then, from there we're going to see Janette at the Raven for information. Okay? Just not right now, I'm so highly pissed that if I move I'm afraid of hurting you." He hissed through clenched teeth. She nodded her head in understanding at his statement, but she was very sorry for making her father this angry. After all, he did teach her to talk to him about anything that bothered her.

By the time she had stopped crying and reduced to only sobbing, Nick trusted himself to move without hurting Nichole. He gave his daughter a comforting hug as she told him that she was hungry. "I know, Princess. Lets go downstairs and get you something before you get too hungry. I can't stand to watch you when you won't be able handle the hunger any longer." He replied to her statement.

"But, Daddy, how come you are able to handle it for a while?" Nichole asked of Nick. By this time, they were heading down stairs to get her a couple of bottles to feed from.

"Because, I've been doing this for almost 800 years. I've got a lot of practice in. You haven't even been doing this for 24 hours, and besides I'm your father and I know how to take care of you." He replied to her. Once on the floor, Nick reached into the opened crate and handed Nichole a full, green bottle. He then effortlessly opened, without any tools, one of the crates he ordered for himself and grabbed a bottle to have.

Nichole watched her father grab the cork of his bottle by the teeth and yank it, spitting the cork out onto the floor. Afraid of hurting her teeth that way and knowing he did not own a corkscrew, she held her bottle out to him. He looked at her and the bottle, and smiled. He took the bottle and opened it for her in his usual fashion. "You know, Daddy, I'm not picking that up. I sure didn't make the mess." She teased her father. He turned around vamped out, and her cork stuck on one fang. She started to smile and then busted out laughing at his antics.

Nick smiled at his daughter's reaction to his little joke, which he did on purpose. "You don't have too. I seem to have a problem with them getting stuck on my fangs. Do you mind helping me remove it?" All Nichole could do is to nod her head, and reach out her hand and removed the stuck on cork. "You know, you could do that now, too. I've had the same set of teeth for almost eight centuries now, so it shouldn't hurt your teeth. But you are right, I do need to get a corkscrew for appearances of course. Now, give me a few moments to put these bottles in the refrigerator and change my shirt before we leave. Why don't you grab a set of clothes to change into after Nat's exam?" He asked of her.

She nodded her head once again and proceeds to empty her bottle. By the time Nichole was done, Nick had one crate in the refrigerator. She put the empty bottle down where he usually reuses them, and turned around almost knocking her father off balance. He managed to rebalance himself, and save the other bottle he had ready for her. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I didn't know you were behind me. At least I didn't make a mess I don't have to clean up. Daddy, I'm confessed." She apologized to him.

Nick replied back, "About what, Princess? What confuses you so much?" The look on Nichole's face told him how confused she was.

"You're my biological father and you're also a vampire. You didn't bring me across, but another vampire did. In the Community, a master is also a father. So according to the Community, you're not my father but whoever brought me across is. If you didn't bring me across, then what are you to me?" Nichole explained in simple logic to Nick.

"Princess, that custom was set into place to make fledglings like yourself more comfortable with the idea of eternity. Vampires are not suppose to reproduce and have children, but once in a blue moon they occasionally do. Not so much as they see the reason to change the custom, because the children were either brought across by their vampire parent or died of natural causes. You're most likely the first on that doesn't fit into either category, because you didn't die of natural causes nor did I bring you across. No matter what happens, I am your father. Out of your 46 chromosomes, 23 of those you got from me. I want you to remember that, and never forget it. Understand me?" Nick attacked her logic with his own hard, cold facts. He also wanted tell Nichole that 50 of her DNA came from him also, and to stress that she is his no matter what.

Nichole nodded her head in understanding as Nick gave her a hug and a kiss on the forehead. She quickly finished off her bottle, and flew up to her room. Once there, she grabbed a pair of blue jeans, a cute teddy bear tee shirt, and a pair of socks. She also put on a pair of black tennis shoes to wear for right now. She turned to go out the door, but was stopped by a tall shadow in front of her. "Who are you? What do you want?" She demanded of the stranger in her way.

"I am your father, I'm the one who brought you across. What I want is you to come with me." The man replied in a slightly German accent, but he still stayed in the shadows.

"What if I don't want to go with you? My daddy is waiting for me downstairs, and if I don't show up very soon he will come to get me. If you touch me, I will scream for him and he will come flying through that door." She spat back in her usual spirit.

"I'll tell you what, I'll give you 24 hours to tell your 'father' that you will have to leave him forever. After that, I will come and collect what is mine." The stranger told her in a way that made her spine crawl with unease. He started to move toward her, but at the last minute he changed course and was gone.

Still very shaken, Nichole ran downstairs and into Nick's arms. He just stood there for a moment to figure out what had just happened, "Princess, what happened? Are you okay?" He patted her back, trying to comfort her fears. Whatever that maybe.

"Daddy, it was horrible. He was in my room just now, and no I did not get a good look at him. He said he was here to take me away forever, and that I had 24 hours to tell you goodbye. I just noticed that he talked in a somewhat German accent." Nichole replied to Nick between body shakes.

"It is all right, Princess. I promise he won't lay a hand on you. If he does he will have to answer to me, understand?" Nick tries to ease Nichole's fears down to where they could leave. She didn't say anything, but she did manage to nod her head into his shoulder. Nick picked her up and carried her to his bedroom; "I'm going to set you down now so that I can change my shirt. Okay?" Nichole nodded her head in understanding. He sat her down and a thought dawned on him, "Princess, do you mind if I try something? I want to taste your blood to see if I can find out who he is."

Nichole nodded her approval, and held out her hand to her father. Nick took his daughter's wrist and placed it to his lips. He bit into her flesh and started to drink. After three large mouthfuls, he pulled away and kissed the wound he made, which was already starting to heal. He closed his eyes for a few moments to relinquish her memories of the last 48 hours. When her attacker came into focus, Nick opened his eyes and hissed, "Archibald!"

"Daddy, who is Archibald?" Nichole watched Nick shed his blooded shirt and pulls out a cotton T-shirt from a drawer.

Nick turned around and looked at his daughter for a few moments before replying. He was unsure weather or not if he wanted her know. "Archibald is your vampiric uncle. LaCroix brought him across in the Thirty Years War." He explained to her.

"Okay, but why does he want to make you 'pay' by hurting me?" Nichole asked of her father.

Nick pulled his shirt over his head and down his torso before answering her, "Archibald had a daughter before we found him dying on the battlefield. He didn't want to die, so LaCroix offered him eternity and he took it. For payment, LaCroix wanted his daughter. When he realized this, he tried to smuggle her out of Germany. LaCroix found out and sent me to stop him and bring her back with me. I succeeded, but what I did not know at the time was what LaCroix wanted me to do to the child. Archibald and LaCroix fought, and LaCroix told me to kill her. I did. Archibald spat at me; 'Pay back is a bitch!' He then left, never to be heard from until today.

Nichole sat there for a few moments digesting what her father had just told her. She knew that Nick had killed before, but it didn't bother her much. He had to in order to survive. She got up and hugged the vampire kneeling before her. He wrapped his arms tightly around her. "Now let's go give Nat a visit, before we go to the Raven. I want to chew Janette out." Nick whispered in his daughter's ear. She nodded her head.


	3. Chapter 3

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Archibald's Revenge

Part 3/4

"Now remember what I told you, don't concentrate on anything but the sound of our voices." Nick reminded Nichole outside of the morgue. He waited until she nodded her head before going inside. They were lucky enough not to run into anyone in the hallway, he didn't think that she was ready to test her limits yet. He knew that Nat's heartbeat would be the first one Nichole has heard and been around since last night, but there was no other way around this. If Nichole lost control, at least he will be there to stop anything from happening.

Stopping at the door to Nat's lab, Nick looked down at Nichole to see her reaction to Nat's heartbeat. So far so good, and no sign of the hunger. Opening the door, he called out, "Nat? We're here. Nichole needs a physical."

"In here, Nick. Just place her on the table and tell me what happened." Natalie called back while emerging from the cold room. She walked over to the table and turned toward the duo waiting for someone to explain why she is looking over a fledgling. Which could be VERY dangerous for her health, she knew.

"Well, Nat. I found out this evening that Nichole was raped before being brought across. I want to know if everything is okay, before I do anything else." Nick replied seething with anger over the thought of such violence directed at his precious daughter. Natalie stood there with her mouth gapping open at the news for a few moments.

"Okay, Nick. I need you to step outside for a couple of minutes while I do a vaginal exam." Nat replied to Nick thinking of Nichole's privacy.

"No can do, Nat. I mean that wouldn't be the brightest thing to do at the moment. Granted she has fed, but she hasn't killed yet. I don't want her to attack you." Nick told Nat, who then paled as she remembered what happened to Richard. She nodded her understanding, and began the exam.

Once she was finished, Nick noticed that Nichole began to get antsy. "Everything looks fine, Nick. Where are you going next?"

"To the Raven. I think we better go, now." Nick answered just as Nichole's eyes turned golden-red and her fangs dropped. Before she could launch herself at Nat, Nick had her tightly in his grip. "Nichole, look at me! Look at ME!" He waited until his daughter complied. "Calm down. Get a hold of it, clear your mind. Listen to my voice." He saw her listening to him. He tried to whammy her into falling asleep. "Listen to me. You're tired. You want to take a nap."

"I'm tired. I want to take a nap." Nichole lisped before falling asleep against Nick. Nat looked on in awe.

"Now, you know why I didn't want to follow your advice earlier. That could have happened while I was outside of the room, if we did it your way." Nick did a 'I told you so' towards Nat.

"Nick, before you leave, I want to know what happened. She seemed fine." Nat requested.

"Your heartbeat, Nat. She listened to it for too long, and couldn't take it any more. It was like torture for her." Nick answered her. They said goodbye, and Nick let three important words slip out. I love you. Nat immediately said them back. Nick and Nichole left the building, and he walked to the Caddie.

Once the outside air hit them, Nichole awoke from Nick's suggestion. "Daddy, what happened?" She wanted to know why is her father carrying her to the car instead of her walking there on her own.

"You couldn't stand it any longer. You almost attacked Nat." Nick looked at Nichole and found he confused look. "You couldn't handle her heartbeat any more. I was torturing you unconsciously. I'm sorry, Princess. I didn't mean to do it."

"Its okay, Daddy. You had to do what was best for me. Don't you dare beat yourself up over this, because I won't let you. Understood?" Nichole told Nick sternly. He looked at her, knowing that was what her mother would have done. He smiled at the thought, and climbed into the Caddie. He reached over and buckled her up, and then himself. "You know, I just realized that you had human tonight instead of bovine. Why?" She asked as he pulled away from the curb.

"Because if I'm going to teach you everything you need to know in order to survive, I'll need to be at my full strength. Only human can do that for us." Nick answered his daughter's inquiry. They rode the rest of the way in silence.

Nick parked the car a block and a half down the street from the door of the Raven. They got out and began to walk toward the door. Halfway there, Nichole clamped both hands over her ears in effort to lower the noise volume coming from the club. He leaned closer to her and told her, "I know it is loud. Just try to listen to something else. Once we're inside, stay close to me." She managed to nod her head in understanding before they continued to make it the rest of the way to the door.

The vampire bouncer looked at Nick and nodded his 'go ahead' before looking at Nichole. He seemed unsure of what to do. She is underage, but yet is a vampire. The bouncer began to shake his head, but looked one last time at Nick. The look he gave him told the bouncer 'let her in or answer to me'. He waved her through.

Once inside, Nick took a moment to spot Janette at the bar in her usual spot. He began to move toward her and the crowd spilt to let him by. They immediately closed right back after him, separating Nichole from him. Halfway across the room, she lost sight of her father. After frantically trying to spot him, three boys just slightly older than she appeared. She could tell they were vampires, "What do you want?" She spat at them.

"To have some fun little one. Tell me are you lost?" The one in the center answered. He must be the head honcho, because the other two are standing slightly behind him.

"Maybe, maybe not. Depends on you." Nichole backed up into a corner. She wished she knew where her father was.

"Are you alone? Where is your master?"

"I don't have a master. I have a father."

"So, where is your father?" They all were grinning like the idiots they were.

"Right here." Nick replied from behind the trio, who must've jumped a mile high at the unexpected reply. They turned around and gaped at the elder vampire. "I suggest you leave my daughter alone." The trio nodded their heads in unison, and then took off. Turning his attention to his daughter, he sternly reprimanded, "Didn't I tell you to stay close? That was why I said that. Now come on, Janette is waiting."

"Daddy, slow down! I don't have long legs you know." Nichole shouted toward her father, who slowed his pace slightly. To keep from having a repeat, she slipped her hand into Nick's. He automatically closed his hand around her smaller one.

Once they approached the bar, Nick demanded, "Where is he, Janette?"

"LaCroix is at the studio doing his show. You should know that Nicola, if you were listening to the radio." Janette replied in her usual cool manner.

"Not LaCroix, although he might be interested in what happened to his granddaughter. I meant Archibald, where is he?" Nick replied.

Janette truly looked stunned. "Nicola, what did happen to my niece? What does our prodigal brother have to do with it?" She asked surprised.

"Archibald raped and turned Nichole. I want to know where that bastard is, so that I can stake him myself." Nick replied with anger.

"He what!" LaCroix bellowed from behind them, making Nichole jump into Nick's arms. LaCroix might be a sadistic tyrant, but he loves his children and grandchild. "Archibald is in this club at the moment, Nicholas. He won't be anywhere for long. I suggest you do a re-bonding with your daughter before the night is gone. I am about to dispatch my child to the afterlife for good. Take Nichole and leave the premises." He instructed his two favorite children and his only grandchild.

"LaCroix, I thought you were doing your show at CERK." Nick replied, wondering why his father was here.

"Nicholas, I couldn't ignore such a strong emotion from you. I had to see what made you so angry." LaCroix answered back. He reached over and took Nichole from Nick. She went willingly, their differences are in the past. "I'll watch her, and I'll let you handle Archibald the way you see fit." Nichole's reaction was to lay her head on her grandfather's aristocratic shoulder. Nick started to turn away before LaCroix called, "I suggest you don't let him live. I'm also happy to see you switched back to human, and I assume that will be her diet as well."

"You assumed correct, LaCroix. I will also take care of the body." Nick replied back, and then went in search of his VERY dead vampiric brother.

"I'm going to make sure he doesn't destroy my club." Janette stated and started off in Nick's wake.

"Grandfather, could Daddy just leave the body on the roof to combust to ash at first light?" Nichole asked the ancient vampire.

"Why yes he could, mon Coeur. Why don't you mention it when he come back." LaCroix answered his granddaughter's question.

There was a loud crash, stopped everyone in their tracks. Nichole looked toward the origin of the sound and saw her father fighting with another vampire. She couldn't see much due to the wood flying around the room. She screamed in pain as the pieces embedded themselves into her skin. Her grandfather rolled her over the bar and to the floor behind it. She stayed there until all was quiet and calm.

Nichole poked her head over the bar to watch Nick drag the other vampire by the ear toward LaCroix. She takes a closer look at the vampire and notices that her shoulder was on fire. The stake her father had wielded in his hand earlier is now in the other's shoulder, the one that is on fire. If this is how it is between 'master' and fledgling, she is afraid of what his death might bring for her. She shot from her hiding place and stood between her grandfather, who now is wielding a stake in hand, and the injured vampire. "Grandfather, please don't. When Daddy staked his shoulder, mine felt like fire. What would happen to me if he was killed?"

"Nicholas, take care of your daughter. She caught some wood in her back. Check her shoulder, I believe she caught a fairly large piece there." LaCroix instructed Nick, who did as he was told. As soon as he had moved his daughter, LaCroix swiftly lowered the stake into the vampire's heart. The pain was so unbearable, that Nichole has passed out where she stood.


	4. Chapter 4

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Archibald's Revenge

Part 4/4

Nichole woke up on the couch in the loft, her shoulder no longer on fire. She felt as if something was missing, a part of her gone. Sitting up, she looked around for her father. He was at the baby grand lightly running his fingers across the keys, as if he didn't know what to play. "Daddy, why don't you play some Mozart?" She asked him.

"Princess, we need to talk." Her father replied. Nick turned around on the bench to get up. He walked over to his daughter and sat down next to her on the couch. "You are probably feeling empty now. That is to be expected when a master is killed, and the fledgling feels the emptiness. You are too young to be without a 'master'. You couldn't survive the week without a teacher. Therefore, we could do what LaCroix suggested earlier. This 'procedure' is designed to rebond someone like you to another 'master' vampire when something like this happens.

"It is done like a crossing over, but without the possibility of killing the person permanently. It would be like it was before Archibald brought you across and made you into a fledgling. The only difference is that we will have the same habits and diet. I will be your 'master' and teach you everything you need to know to survive this way of life. It will be a bit painful. Do you wish to do it?" Nick asked Nichole. Her answer was a vigorous nod, and she climbed into her father's lap. He placed her securely into his embrace.

"Daddy, when can we do it? Tonight? What about school? Am I going to be home schooled or go to night school?" Nichole was cut off before she could finish her questions. Nick placed his right index finger on her lips to quiet her.

"First thing is first. We can do it tonight if you wish. As far as your education goes, we can do one of four things. One, we can have you home schooled. Two, you can go to night school. Three, you can get your GED. Or four, I can have Aristotle make you a diploma. If not him, then we can have Merlin or Felix do it. It is your choice, Princess." Nick replied to his loving daughter.

"I want to be home schooled, Daddy. Can we do that rebond thingy now? I don't want to feel like this anymore." She replied to him. He nodded his head and got up to prepare for this 'procedure'. He got out four of his daughter's bottles of blood and placed them near the coffee table. He turned around and picked up his daughter and stretched her out on the table.

"Be very, very still. This shouldn't take too long." Nick told her what she had to do in order for this to work correctly. Nichole nodded her head in understanding just before her father vamped out. She watched him pull aside her head to expose her neck, and she felt him strike. The slight prick in her neck is the only thing she feels.

As he drained her, she felt frighten and scared. Her 'fight or flight' response kicked in, and she began to fight her father. Without stopping, he effectively pinned her down. With his free hand, he gently stroked her hair to calm her down. If he had his strong link with her, he would've prevented her thrashing and calmed her fears.

When all of a sudden, something told him that was enough and Nick pulled back. He looked down at Nichole, who was looking peaceful, before continuing with the 'procedure'. He lifted his wrist to his mouth and bit down, hard. He suckled it to get a good, heavy blood flow, and then placed his wrist over her slightly, opened lips. He watched as his precious lifeblood flowed heavily into his precious daughter.

With his other hand, Nick managed to open two of her bottles when Nichole grabbed his wrist and 'manacled' it to her lips. He looked over at her and saw her looking at him through her golden eyes. The same voice that told him to stop before is now telling him to do it again. He pulled, no yanked his wrist away and listened to his daughter's angry, answering growl. He placed an open bottle in her hand, and watched her devour it no time flat.

As she handed him the empty bottle, Nichole ordered "More. I want more." Nick nodded his head as he took the empty one and replaced it with a full one. This time she drained it a little bit slower, but it was still fast. He had already opened the other two bottles by now, and was ready to give her a full bottle in exchange for her empty one. The third one, she emptied it in five gulps, and before the bottle left her lips a full one was there.

This time she sipped it and watched Nick compose himself before continuing with his daughter. He patiently told Nichole, "Now that buzzing in the back of your mind will not go away as long we both live, but it will increase and decrease with distance. That is lesson number one in Vampire 101. Lessons 2-10 are to be learnt tomorrow. It is almost sunrise, and you need to rest for those lessons. I will get Jeanette to teach you how to hunt, but I don't think you will need it in this time and age. Any questions, Princess?"

"Yes, Daddy. Can I have another bottle? I'm still hungry." Nichole replied. She couldn't wait for lessons 2-10 in Vampire 101. She is curious on how Nick did things, she knew it will definitely different from LaCroix's way.

Nick just threw his head back and laughed a deep laugh. When Nichole asked why he was laughing, he replied, "It is 1982 all over again. When you were a baby, you wanted to be fed every two hours. Until I could recognize your cries, I would change your diaper, try to burp you, or see if you wanted your bottle. Eight times out of ten, that was what you wanted. When your mother wasn't looking, I would prick my finger and give you a few drops of my blood in your bottle. The only difference this time I don't have to guess what you need."

He got up and retrieved her a bottle. Nichole followed her father up the stairs and to his bedroom to sleep for the day. She finished the bottle and placed it on the nightstand. The sun peaked over the horizon and she collapsed in the sleeping slumber on the floor. Nick picked her up and carefully placed her in the bed as the shutters closed them in the dark. As he climbed into bed, he leaned over his sleeping daughter and gave her a fatherly kiss on the cheek. He fell into a dreamless sleep as he laid down next to her in the bed.

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